The Effects of Self-Selected Music on Exercise Performance

Anecdotal evidence suggests that music can be heard at numerous major sporting events, within exercise training facilities, and is a major component of today’s gym culture. Whether the facility is blaring music or the gym users are listening to their self-selected music, we see the common theme of music in gym culture. Studies suggest that music could be used as a motivational tool. It is believed that music helps to divert the mind from the sensations that would fatigue a person’s muscle by diverting their attention to the music (Karageorghis, Terry, & Lane, 1999). The four components of music that are considered "motivational" qualities are: tempo, lyrics, melody, and harmony (Karageorghis, Terry, & Lane, 1999). It has been found that songs between 120 and 140 beats per minute (bpm) have the greatest effect on moderate exercisers (Karageorghis, Terry, & Lane, 1999). Although not investigated in this study, the lyrical content of music can also enhance exercise performance by providing positive affirmations or verbal cues to individuals (Karageorghis, 2008). Lastly, the melody and harmony of the music also shape how the listener responds to the song, this could influence mood state and exercise performance (Karageorghis, Terry, & Lane, 1999). For some athletes, and for many people who exercise, music is an essential component that enables peak performance and a satisfying workout (Jabr, 2013). There has been more research done regarding music’s effects on aerobic performance (Barwood et al., 2009; Edworthy & Waring, 2006; Hutchinson & Sherman, 2014, Nakamura, & Kokubun, 2010; Savitha et al. 2014; Smith & Widmer, 2004; Thakur & Yardi, 2013; Waterhouse, Hudson, & Edwards, 2010), than done regarding anaerobic exercise (Atan, 2013; Jarraya et al., 2012; Sherman & Richmond, 2013; Tran et al., 2011)